Steph Davis

Photograph ByJeff Riedel for ESPN The Magazine

Why we chose her: When her life is in the balance, she commands her body perfectly.
Take it from a pro: "Steph is one of the best in the world. She's conquered Patagonia, Pakistan, the Arctic Circle. And yet, to see her on the street, you wouldn't peg her as a climber. She doesn't have huge shoulders or a giant back, but she uses her muscels with pinpoint accuracy. She knows the slightest lapse, mental or physical, can be deadly." --Jimmy Chin, Climber